Texas County residents overwhelmingly approved a sales tax Tuesday to keep 911 operating.
The issue — which won in every precinct in the county — establishes a three-eighths of a cent sales tax and drops a 15 percent surtax on landlines to keep the central dispatching system in place in the county. Balances were nearing depletion as households dropped their landline for cellular telephones. Additionally, partner Wright County — a source of about 40 percent of the revenue — plans to drop its participation.
The vote was 1,756-694.
Another tax issue — to collect the county’s sales taxes on out-of-state sales — was narrowly defeated, 1,111-1,262.
Texas County Clerk Don Troutman said about 16 percent of the county’s nearly 16,000 voters arrived at polling precincts. That was 2,486 voters.
The only other county-wide race on the ballot was for a seat on the Texas County Memorial Hospital board of trustees. Incumbent Mark Hampton was re-elected to a five-year term over challenger Karen Hollenbeck Smith, 1,352-902.
In other races, across the county:
Mary E. Barnes will keep a seat on the Houston City Council. Appointed earlier, she won over Michael E. Moore, 42-36.
Incumbents Michael King, Don Schweighauser and Paul Murray won three-year seats on the Raymondville board of education. The tally: King, 85; Schweighauser, 104; Shalena Purcell, 55; Murray, 86; and Stetson Evetts, 65.
Jennifer K. Shelton, Ross Olson and Benny Bean were elected to seats on the Success board of education. The total: Shelton, 86; Olson, 58; and Bean, 50. Other candidates: Mary Glidewell, 45; and Kelly Bean, 49.
In Texas County balloting, incumbent Doug Caldwell (135), incumbent Kim Hodges (132) and Robert Crabtree (99) won seats on the Plato school board. Other candidates on the ballot were: Kristi Tracy Atterberry, 83; and Ralph Koehler, 64.
In Douglas and Texas counties, Brenda J. Jarrett, incumbent Cyndi Flanagan and incumbent Michael Luerssen won seats on the Cabool board of education. The tally: Jarrett, 267; Flanagan, 310; and Luerssen, 265. Other challengers: Leigh Ann Sigman, 250; Heidi Middleton, 75; Sheila Mae Long, 154; and Thomas C. Nevill, 157.
Stephanie Briggs and Marilyn Howell were elected to the Summersville City Council. The totals: Briggs, 47; Howell, 36; Melvin Chaney, 10; and Dorothy W. Riffle, 8.
Incumbent Larry Guffey won a Ward I seat at the Licking council over Laura Gant, 34-17. John Whelan won in Licking’s Ward II with 42 votes over challengers Leland Miller, 22; and Keith Cantrell, 32.